Good morning everyone. After 16 yrs. of Bulimia,I feel like I'm @ the point of either I'll lick this or I'll be another victim.The ED & my alcoholism-major depression has made it almost impossible to hold a job.I'm sober(somehow)& I've been able to keep a job for 2mon.but have no insurance so residential treatment isn't possible.ED has totally dominated my life.In the past only certain foods would trigger the purge,now I'm purging just about everything i eat.Started gaining weight about 6mon.ago for which I can't explain. This certainly doesn't help.Of course the teeth problems have started and imsomnia which I don't know if it is related.Last night after a bad purge, everything got black & I fell down a couple of stairs. Lucky I didn't hurt myself seriously. Wondering if the short blackout is ED related. I'm an unusual case I guess. A 48yr old guy w/ an ED. No family & live alone(except the best dog in the world!)so don't have the support. Just don't want the ED to kill me. Sorry I'm whining so much.Guess I just had to vent.I'm pretty scared. Thanks for listening. Mike

Hey Mike

I am a nine year bulimic. I also am of the mind that I am either going to have to beat it or it will kill me...eventually. I haven't found a way to stop yet. I can go a few days, maybe a week, but then I binge again. I have also started gaining weight in the last year. I know bulimia can screw up the metabolism. Also, you might be gaining weight because you aren't throwing up all the food you eat (which is nearly impossible) and your body still absorbs the digestable fat and calories. That's why people who do "two hour binges" usually gain weight...food enters the small intestine quickly and can't be thrown up after that. Are you throwing up every day, everything you eat??
Can you buy your own personal insurance?? Are you looking to go to inpatient treatment for your bulimia or outpatient??
I am sure the blackout is ED related since it happened right after a purge. Have you had any dizziness, shortness of breath, or chest pains??
I also have crippling insomnia..have been on sleeping pills since age 15. I have had it since I was a toddler.
About your teeth..there is something called PerioRinse that prevents dental erosion. I use it, I think you have to get it at a dentist. Or you can get Act2 (not regular Act) fluoride mouth rinse. Don't brush right after a binge. Eat something small first, then lightly brush, then do the fluoride.

Have you looked into support groups?? They are free....remember this is also a support group! So keep in touch as we are all here to listen.

Good morning everyone. After 16 yrs. of Bulimia,I feel like I'm @ the point of either I'll lick this or I'll be another victim.The ED & my alcoholism-major depression has made it almost impossible to hold a job.I'm sober(somehow)& I've been able to keep a job for 2mon.but have no insurance so residential treatment isn't possible.ED has totally dominated my life.In the past only certain foods would trigger the purge,now I'm purging just about everything i eat.Started gaining weight about 6mon.ago for which I can't explain. This certainly doesn't help.Of course the teeth problems have started and imsomnia which I don't know if it is related.Last night after a bad purge, everything got black & I fell down a couple of stairs. Lucky I didn't hurt myself seriously. Wondering if the short blackout is ED related. I'm an unusual case I guess. A 48yr old guy w/ an ED. No family & live alone(except the best dog in the world!)so don't have the support. Just don't want the ED to kill me. Sorry I'm whining so much.Guess I just had to vent.I'm pretty scared. Thanks for listening. Mike

I just wanted to say that men with ED's are not uncommon at all. Statistics are always less because those are only the reported cases. I don't think a lot of men seek help because they consider it a 'women's disease'. This couldn't be further from the truth.

Hi Mike:
I suffer from Anorexia but have had bouts of Bulimia. I am disabled and so many treatment centers require their patients to pay upfront for the entire month and of course I can't afford that so awhile back when I needed to go IP I did some research. Are you aware that there are a couple of treatment centers that are free? Of course, there is a long waiting list to get in but if you really need the help and can't afford it maybe it would be worth considering and waiting for.
Tiffany

Hi, Mike,

I don't know if you're in AA, but Program was the only thing that helped me stop the purging and binging, after 16 of it. I had to get to the surrender point on this, too, and just surround myself with meetings and recovering folks (OA).
Medication can help make it easier (it wasn't around when I was bulimic).
I found withdrawing from the vomiting compulsion perhaps the most difficult thing I've ever done, much harder than liquor. But I've been away from both for liquor for 36 years, and vomiting for 26, without one slip on either one.
So it CAN be done, with lot of help. I had to hit bottom on it, too.

You CAN do it. Please look around and get all the help you need. It's a tough battle with both addictions, but you can make it, if I made it.

Sending hope and healing your way, keep posting here,

Seaturtle